Pool-table



t J. H. IVIcCOOL.

POOL TABLE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, I920.

Patented Sept. 27,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I- J. H. McCOOL.

POOL TABLE.

APPLICATION man NOV. 9, 1920.

PatentedSept. 27,1921. 9

WM/ m 6' iarzres HM 50 3 4 provements in the bl tact bythe pool I the track are wholly concealedfrom the side 5 of the table, and in which the balls from the,

To all whom it may concern:

I a citizen of the UNITED JSTA POOL-TABLE. 7

JAMES H. M60001 0F ELLSWQRTI-I, KANSAS Specification of Letters Patent.

P'ATENTFOFFI Patented Sept. 27, 1921.

Application filed November 9, 1920. Serial No. 422,865.

ful Improvements "in Pool-Tables, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention has, reference to im- 'construction of pool taes. Y

. yobject is to producea pool table in which the ordinary projecting pockets and the metallic supports therefor Wlll be entirely dispensed with and replaced by pockets of a peculiar'and novel construction which are wholly concealed, encept at the top or months thereof and which serve as buffer members for preventing violent conballs against the wooden portion of the construction and directing such balls on to an inclined track which in turn delivers the balls to a novel construe tion of racks arranged at one end of the table.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pool table with a suitable track extending around the table and common to the several ball receiving pockets, connection with racks, and means for directing the balls from the track into any of the several racks.

A still further object isto produce a pool table provided with a suitable track extending around the table and common to the ball receiving pockets, in'which the pockets. and

track are delivered to racks which are normally closed by a swinging gate, while means is provided below the gate for receiving all of the balls from the racks.

A still further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the existing art by;

having. tracks come receiving pockets producing a pool table mon to all of the ball therein, the said pockets being materiall reinforced by the table construction, and one which may be highly ornamental and dispenses with the unsightly projecting pockets in the ordinary construction of such devices,

The above, and otherobjects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, 'maybe accomplished by rail has construction, combination and operative arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by the drawings which accompany and which form part of this application.

n the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of constructed in accordance with tion.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. F g. 3 is an end view thereof.

1g. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, 1 1

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged'sca-le, and line 5--5 of F ig. 2.

a pool table this invenapproxiinately on the,

Fig. 6 is a detail fragmentary sectional 1 view approximately on the line 6 -6 of Fig. 2. i

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, parts broken away, and parts being in section of a modification, illustrating a vertically slidable gate between the track and the racks. 1g. 8 is a sectional view approximately on the line 88 of Fig. 7. e

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 99 of Fig. 7. i

Fig. 10. is an enlarged sectional' view on the line- 10-10 of Fig. 2. d

On the bed l of the table of slate 2'that is covered, ner, by the cloth- 3. a

The cushion 4 is beveled in the usual mannerand is cut away to provide entrances for the several pockets of the table. The top rail 5 is of a materially greater width than the top rail of the ordinary table, and has its upper face beveled downwardly, as at 6, to the.,top, of the cushion 4. In the present instance, the top rail 5 is provided with rounded notches 6 corner and side pockets, and secured on its outer is the usual slab in the usual manedge a con tinuous formed inwardly of the. rounded notches l in a line with the y the said top:-

depending strip 6". of a width to extend below the bed 1 and to cover all of the pockets.

As disclosed, particularly in the top rail 5. Also, below each ledge 7 there is secured to the flange 6 a plate 8, preferably, but not necessarily, of wood, the said plate having a rounded opening corresponding to the opening for the pocket. The upper edge of the pocket is secured to the ledge 7, the securing means being arranged exteriorly with respect to the inner face of the pocket, so that no projections, such as the heads of nails, screws or the like will be afforded the balls when the latter are shot into the pocket. Each pocket 10 is bulged outwardly, as at 11, between the ledge 7 and .the ledge or strip 8,: so that the ball shot into the pocket will be received in a concavity. Before proceeding further, it is to be understood that the portions of the table provided with the-pockets are elevated or raised at a desired distance above the horizontal plane of the top rail 5, so that danger of the balls jumping the table when being shot into the pockets will be entirely obviated. Below the outwardly bulged portion 11 the pocket is formed with a sack like extension 12, the front of each of the leather or fabric pockets being, of course, open, as at 13, to receive the balls'lttherein. Secured at suitable intervals to the inner face of the continuous flange 6 are brackets 15.

These brackets have their horizontal and body portions dished or curved, as at 17, and

secured in any desired or preferred manner to the upper face of each of the curved portions of the brackets are spaced rails 18-18 that provide the tracks for the balls. These tracks are arranged around the sides of the table, beneath the corner pockets at one end of the'table and also beneath but extended a suitable distance beyond the opposite end of the table. The rods of the side tracks are disposed at .a suitable inclination from the front end of the table, indicated by the numeral 19, to the rear end thereof, indicated by the numeral 20, the said rods being rounded from the corner pockets at the end 20 of the table and being continued at a downward inclination, as indicated by the numeral 21, over the said end 20, and ters minating an equal distance from the center of the said end. The rods pass through the sack-like extensions or outlet mouths 12 of the respective pockets, and in each of the pockets there is secured to the rods constituting the tracks fabric cushion members 22. These cushions relieve the balls from violent contact with the rods that comprise the track, but the said tracks are arranged at such inclination that the balls 14 will ride over'thecushions and be properly directed to the end portions 21 of the said tracks. Secured on the inner face of the flange. 6 at the end 20 of the table, and at the terminals of the tracks are depending plates 2222 respectively. These brackets are really in the nature of plates, but have openings 23 there in whereby the balls 14 will be permitted to gravitate in the space at between the said plates; 1

Below the end rods of the tracksthere are spaced racks 24, 25 respectively. The racks 2e and 25 comprise each. a pair of spaced rods that have their inner ends secured to the plates 22' and their outer ends secured to depending plates or brackets 26. The plates or brackets 22 have openings 26 and 27 respectively which aline with the respective upper and lower racks 2 1 and 25. The openings at the terminal of the tracks, and the' openingsfor the racks are normally closed by a gate member 27, which in, the showing in Fig. 3 of the drawings ishingedly connected, as at 28 between the plates 22'. i

The gate is really in the,nature of a frame and its side members are disposed in close proximity to: the depending plates 22 to close the openings therein, The rods constituting the racks 24c and 25 are arranged at a downward inclination from the brackets 26 tothe plates 22; .The numeral 29 inclicates the handle for the gate, and when this handle is grasped to open-the gate the balls from theends 21 of the tracks will gravitate through the openings therein These balls may be then delivered into the respective racks 24 and 25by simply placing the same through the open spacesbetween the racks. As two-of the racks are arranged to each side of the gate it-will be seen that four racks are provided, and thus four persons playing the game can have their balls arjra g d in the several racks. Of course, any desired number of racks may be employed, but, an ,evennumber. is required. j

The plates 22 depend-a considerable distance below the lowermost racks 25, and have their lower ends extended inwardly and provided with hooks 30. These hooks are designed to engage with either of two oppositely disposed downwardly inclined U-shaped members 31 on two of the sides of a V-shaped frame. 33. The frame is, of course, provided with. a bottom and may be swung upon its hinged connection with the hooks to -bring the same directly in the space betweenthe plates 22-22 so that the balls delivered either from the terminals of the tracks or the respective racks will fall into the member 33. The member 33 may be then removed from the hooks and arranged on the table for racking the balls.

In the modified form of the improvemerit illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 of the drawings, the rod members constituting the side rails may terminate inward of the cornerpockets at the end 20 of the table, the said terminals beingsupported by connected uprights 34. Disposed opposite the upplates or brackets 26, and support on their inner faces spaced rods that constitute the racks, threeof such racks 36, 37 and'38. The upper rack 36 is in a' line with the terminals of the tracks, and as three racks are disposed to eachside of the gate 27, six racks are thus provided, so'that when; the game is played by six players, each has a separate rack. Between the uprights 35'and 34, and guided thereon there is a receptacle 39 into which the balls gravitate from the tracks. The receptacle 39 has its upper face ooncaved, as at 40, and suitably cushioned to prevent injury to the balls received therein and to prevent the balls from inflicting injury to the said receptacle. The receptacle, at the end thereof opposite the racks 36, 37 and 38 isprovided with an upstanding yoke-shaped portion 41 having the connecting element for the arms thereof centrally provided with an eye 42 to which is secured a' flexible element 43 that is trained around a pulley 44 on a shaft 45 between the uprights 35. This flexible element, indicated by the numeral 46, is trained around a shaft or drum 47 that is journaled between a plate 48 that is arranged around the bed 1, and the flange 6, of the table construction. Suitable friction means 48 is provided for holding the drum against turning, and the said drum is provided with an operating knob 49 that has thereon an indicator 50, designed to register with any one of indicating characters 51 011 a dial plate 52. When the knob is turnedto bring the indicator on the knob opposite say the indication mark 1 on the dial 52, the flexible element is in a position to retain the ball receiving member 39 at the bottom of the guides therefor, so that the balls received thereon will gravitate into the lowermost rack 38. When the knob is turned to bring the indicator opposite the indicating'mark 2 on the dial, the receptacle 39 will be elevated so that the bottom thereof will be in a line with the bottom of the rack 37, so that the balls will gravitate from an elevator receptacle into the said rack 37. In a like manner, when the knob is turned to bring the indicator opposite the character 3 on the dial plate, the receptacle will be fully elevated so that the balls will be delivered into the upper rack 36. I Thus each player can control the passage of the balls from the track into his particular rack. Of course, two of the receiving and elevating means, as well as two of the tracks, as previously stated, are arranged at the end of the table, and when the game is played by six players, each of the same will be in a position to have his balls properly directed into the racks of either the right or left of the gate between the said racks.

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawings, will fully set forth the construcscription. It is, however, thought necessary to state that the drawings and description c refer to a satisfactory embodiment of the improvement as it now appears to me, and that I am entitled to make all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

The rods constituting the rails and racks may have a covering of compressible or other material to prevent injury to the balls and to the rods.

Having described the invention, I claim 1.. In a pool table construction, a top rail which is beveled upwardly from the cushion and which is elevated at the portions of the table provided with the pockets and notched at such portions, a ledge at the top and a strip below the notched portions forming flanges, a fabric pocket secured to the flanges and bellied between the flanges, and formed with a sack-like extension below'the lower flange, and a ball receiving track passing through the said depending portions of the pockets.

2. In a pool table construction, a top rail which is beveled upwardly from the cushion and which is elevated'at the portions of the table provided with the pockets and notched at such portions, a ledge at the top and a stri below the notched portions forming flanges, a fabric pocket secured to the flanges and bellied between the flanges, and formed with i a sack-like extension below the lower flange, a ball receiving track passing through the said lower portions of the pockets, secured thereto and having a cushioning means in a line with each of the pockets.

3. In a pool table construction, a top rail which is beveled upwardly from the cushion ancLwhich is elevated at the'portions of the I table provided with the pockets and notched at such portions and said notched portions forming flanges, a fabric pocket secured to the flanges and bellied between the flanges, and formed with a sack-like extension below the lower flange, a ball receiving track passing through the said lower portions of the pockets, securedthereto and having a cushioning means in a line with each of the pockets, and an outer flange surrounding the table and wholly concealing the pockets and the tracks.

4. The herein described construction of pool tables including the cloth covered -play ing surface, and the cushion arranged around the edges thereof, of a top rail 0n the cushion having an upwardly inclined angle surface which terminates in a straight ledge,

a continuous depending flange secured to the ledge, a strip secured to the inner face table and rounded to correspond with the tion. and advantages of the improvement to top rail having rounded openings at the through the sack-like extension of the pocket portions of the table, flexible cushpockets and secured thereto; and dished ions secured to the ledge and to the strip cushion members between the rods consti- 10 and bellied outwardly therebetween and tuting the track in the pockets of the table. having sack-like depending portions below [In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. the strip, a ball receiving track comprising p v two spaced rods for the table and passing 7 Y JAMES H. MQCOOL. 

